Delbert McClinton & Friends Sandy Beaches Cruise has announced the initial line up for the 2024 voyage. Now in its 28th sailing, the Sandy Beaches Cruise boasts a roster of artists that represents the very best of American roots music touching on a range of genres that include rock, folk, New Orleans, Texas swing, blues, Americana and so much more. The seven-day trip will take place on Holland America’s beautiful Nieuw Amsterdam which departs out of Fort Lauderdale, FL on January 13th, with stops in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico before returning to Ft. Lauderdale on January 20th.
The 2024 line-up includes Delbert McClinton, The Mavericks, Marcia Ball, The California Honeydrops, The Band of Heathens, Paul Thorn, Blind Boys of Alabama, Lee Roy Parnell, Jimmy Hall, Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Mike Zito, Carolyn Wonderland, Wayne Toups, Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps, Big Joe Maher, Red Young, Gary Nicholson, Seth James, Shelley King, Kimmie Rhodes and Yates McKendree, with many more to be added. Stay up to date here.
The Sandy Beaches Cruise offers over 100 plus live performances in five different venues including a large festival-like stage on the outdoor pool deck. Guests will be treated to jam sessions, Q&A’s, songwriter sessions and special events, while catching up with old friends, making new ones, and meeting some of their favorite artists.
What makes the Sandy Beaches Cruise so special is equal parts music and community. Loyal and enthusiastic guests treat the cruise as an annual pilgrimage, returning year after year with over a 70% return rate, while forging lasting bonds with fellow guests. The celebratory vibe onboard is reminiscent of a joyous reunion, but one that welcomes new revelers with open arms.
That feeling was felt throughout the sold-out Sandy Beaches Cruise 2023. From the guests to the artists to the staff onboard, the feeling was highly addictive. In 2019, McClinton and his wife/manager Wendy Goldstein entrusted StarVista LIVE to carry on the tradition they began in 1995 with the Sandy Beaches Cruise, and the rescheduled 2023 sailing proved to be a great success. Guests were treated to electrifying sets from the likes of The Mavericks, Asleep at the Wheel, Marcia Ball, The California Honeydrops, Marc Broussard, Shinyribs, The War and Treaty, Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Jimmy Hall, Carolyn Wonderland, The McCrary Sisters and many more.
Legendary artist/producer/arranger/musician Red Young held court in the packed Crow’s Nest Lounge on the upper deck for a specially curated late-night set featuring different artists sitting in each night. While Delbert McClinton has retired from touring, Sandy Beaches 2024 offers the opportunity to see the legendary artist perform live multiple times.
“StarVista LIVE had never stepped into an existing cruise before but we loved this music and these artists so much, we enthusiastically sought the opportunity to continue the experience. The guests have such a beautiful sense of community and the 2023 cruise was a great chance for us to get to know the community better, deliver great music and performances while maintaining the special vibe of Sandy Beaches” says StarVista LIVE Senior Vice President of Live Entertainment Mike Jason.
The 2023 cruise just ended in late January and 2024 is already over half sold. Book your cabin today here.
